There are many very long and very steep hills in Seattle and when there is any snow that sticks around that amounts to more than 3 inches, these hills get shut down to all vehicular traffic and become 24 hour ski/snowboarding/sledding/snowmobiling hills. Complete with kickers to jump off. It is really a sight to see.







Seattle takes a very creative approach to sledding. You don't need an actual sled, just something that you can sit on that slides on snow. Like a rubbermaid storage lid. I, myself attempted to sled by sitting on a piece of cardboard. This didn't work very well once it became very wet. Below you will see photos of a guy waiting to sled down the hill on his roasting pan. Then there are the two guys who went down the street in a mailbin together. I really hope that Warren Miller got some of this for his next movie.

Now I'm going to ask some help from my readers. I saw this the other day and I honestly can't understand what the purpose of this is.



At first, I thought that maybe this was to make snow removal easier, but isn't snow wet? Wouldn't the cardboard just get too wet to be helpful with getting the snow off the windshield?

In case you were wondering, James Brown is not really dead. He's living and wandering around Seattle apparently.

As mentioned in a previous post, Seattle in general is pretty laisez faire with regards to any snow that has fallen. More or less, the city's citizens are expected to just wait for the snow to melt. This applies to the sidewalks as well as the streets. See below:



Seattlites have varying forms of footwear and clothing to negotiate the snow that we've been having. Some are very practical, and some are less so. I've seen several girls wearing unbelievably high heels on the icy sidewalks - I don't have pictures of them because they walked so fast. I guess the heels act like stabilizing ice picks?

The holiday decorations at Pike's Place Market are really pretty, especially with all the snow we've gotten. I especially like the pigs that are dressed up to be reindeer - the front pig even has a red light nose.

As some of you may have heard, Seattle got some snow on Thursday. Inside the city, close to 3 inches. On the East Coast, this would barely be a blip on the radar. Here, 3 inches is enough to bring the entire city to a crawl. The reason for this is that Seattle generally has no need for snow removal, so they don't have plows, salt trucks, etc. This means that when it snows, you have to wait for the snow to melt for it to go away. Usually, this is not an issue, since it is rarely below freezing in the city.

Except now.

It is 29 degrees, and there is no sun. So there is very little, if any melting going on. The roads are, to say the least, complete sheets of ice. And that isn't even the tricky part, which are the hills. I happen to live on one of the biggest hills in Seattle. Yesterday, getting home from the Symphony, I couldn't make it up one part of the hill, and nearly didn't make it down another part. The fact that only 3 inches of snow can make such a mess is just mind boggling to this Jersey girl. I am very lucky to have an all wheel drive vehicle. Here is what just happened not even half a mile from my apartment:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008540171_webbus19m.html

Here are some pics from around town Thursday that were taken by a friend.

Last year at this time, I had left for the East Coast way too early to partake in any local holiday parties. This year, I was lucky enough to go to several. Happy to report that holiday parties out here are generally the same kind of animal as out East. They even have their own version of a "yankee swap" called, "white elephant." I don't really understand where the name comes from, but I assume the concept is the same. I've never participated in a yankee swap back home, so I don't know what kind of gifts are generally given. Out here, the goal is to either, give crap gifts OR get rid of crap gifts that you got at other white elephants. It is essentially "re-gifting" at its highest form.

I was guilty of "re-gifting" at both white elephants I participated in, but I actually had nice stuff that I just never used. As a result, karma came back to me in the form of a fondue set. whoo. Other people got things like a Hooters serving set. My personal favorite gift was a QVC Christmas sweater - you know what I mean - the kind that can only have been purchased from an overly enthusastic Christmas decorator on TV. It had apparently made its way through years of white elephants, being regifted in fancy boxes to lure unsuspecting participants. Brilliant.

Even after being here for more that a year, I still find touristy things that I've not experienced. Over the weekend, I saw the famous houseboats that are featured in the movie "Sleepless in Seattle." I don't think I saw the actual house in the movie, but I was definitely in the right place. These houses are nothing like their floating Southeast Asian counterparts. They are really neat. They've got gardens and decks. And even boats parked where you would expect a car to be. All in all very charming. Adding this to my "what to show people when they come for a visit" list.

Just like a lot of other place in the US right now, Seattle is experiencing very cold temps. For us, that means that it is below freezing in the city. This, almost never happens. Quite honestly, I hate it. I've grown very attached to our moderate climate, and when i have to wear more than a fleece, I get a little testy.

Unless there is some snow that comes with this freezing weather. Then it is more palatable. Here is a snowman my neighbors made just outside my door on Sunday. It is still there now, it is so cold.

I guess where there is a will, there is a way. On Sunday, I was finally able to attend a Seahawks game at Qwest Stadium. I even got to tailgate. Tailgating in the PNW is decidedly different from that on the East Coast.

For one, tents are compulsory. I gather this practice is due to the weather, but when the weather at Giants Stadium was foul, I don't remember there being tents. I think when that happened, people either toughed it out or just didn't tailgate. There just isn't room in the parking lot in East Rutherford for everybody to have tents as well as a car. In Seattle, I guess it is just understood that each car is going to take up two spaces. Must be why each car is charged $50 to park.



Propane powered heaters are also the norm, which I also don't remember from the Meadowlands. My first response when I saw those was, how wimpy. It is only 45 degrees! People tailgate in NJ when it is below freezing with no bloody heaters. That is what bbqs and blankets are for! AND... some people even brought their own portopotties!





The one part of PNW tailgating that was the most interesting was the drinking games. I've NEVER heard of beer pong at a tailgate, but it is clearly the most popular tailgating activity in Seattle. There are non-fancy pong tables (regular folding tables), and seriously fancy pong tables designed purely for beer pong (painted like a football field). There are also endless varieties of beer bongs. The most elaborate, pictured below, was as tall as a fire truck and had two spouts. There were even motorized coolers, to bring beer faster to those who needed it. The things people think of these days.







The fans were also considerably more enthusiastic with regards wearing their team pride. I was impressed.

Just to prove that you in fact, can wear whatever you like to just about anywhere in Seattle, here is a picture I took today at the symphony. Please note that both men are still wearing their biking cleats.



BTW, in case you might be keeping count, this is post #200.

I'm sure it has to do with the angle and height of the sun, but I've decided that the sunsets, when we can see them, at this time of year are just breathtaking. The colors look as if they've been painted in.

When in NYC, what happens when the weather turns cold, wet and rainy? People generally duck into cabs and stay inside. Not here in Seattle, no siree.

Yesterday I volunteered at a "Holiday Carousel," which, to my surprise, was outside. When I realized that it was raining and miserable, I was pretty convinced that there would be nobody interested in riding that thing.

I was wrong. Parents brought their kids out in droves to take pictures of them in their fancy holiday dress on the horses - I guess for Holiday card pictures? It was astounding. It isn't like this carousel was only operational for one day. It will be there for the whole month, and technically, it is free. I know free is good, but GOOD free things are good. Not wet, bone chilling free things.

This time last year, Seattle was wrapping up an amazing autumn. It hardly rained. It was almost never cloudy. Autumn 2008 has been pretty crappy, which is why I haven't been posting as much. The weather has been so uninspiring, it has become a challenge to get fired up to do much of anything - even on the weekends. To show you what I mean by "uninspiring," here is the view from my apartment this morning looking up the hill:



And here is the "view" down the hill towards the Sound:




So when the sun comes out, even for a couple of hours, you race outside to check to see that the mountains are still there:

Ok, this *is* a post about a reason why I love Seattle. As a resident of this metropolis, you get a lot of free things. And free, as I like to say, is good. What exactly have I gotten that is free, I hear you ask? Food, mostly. And it almost always comes in the mail.

Well not the food itself, but the coupon for the free food. I like to call it "equal opportunity food stamps." Seattle has its version of "Kings" supermarket -uber overpriced, but always has the coolest stuff ever. Every week, they send out a coupon for something that you can get, totally free. No purchase of any kind necessary. You literally walk in, pick up your free thing, wave the coupon at the cashier, and walk out. It could be a carton of soup, pint of gourmet ice cream.. a dozen roses. I don't even have to pay taxes on it. I even make them validate my parking when I go in to the store just to pick up my free weekly item. It is just awesome. Another example.. when a new restuarant or bar opens up, they almost always send out an advertisement in the mail to this effect. Often, these come with a gift certificate of some kind. And for a decent amount, like $20. If you manage to stock pile these, you can have a pretty cheap evening... for example:

A while back I got a certificate for a free cocktail at a very very swanky place (even by NYC standards). When I got a $20 certificate to a restaurant in close proximity to this bar, I decided to cash in. Here's the break down:

First stop: Fancy Schmancy Bar with cocktail voucher
Very posh and strong bourbon cocktail laced with maple syrup foam: free
Caprese salad (had to get it because I realized I didn't have any cash for a tip): $7
Total, with tip and taxes: $10

Second stop: Upscale Italian restaurant with $20 voucher
Lobster/scallop ravioli, 2, both almost the size of a laptop: $23
Total, with tip and taxes: $10

Now, if I had actually had cash on me, the whole evening would have run me a total of $10. I didn't even have to pay for parking.

I love this city.

I can't quite decide if the following is another example of why I love it out here or whether it is an example of why the NY/NJ area drove me up the wall... literally.

Before I left for my Asia trip, I had gotten a notice in the mail about my car registration being due some time in November. I figured it was best to just take care of it before I left, knowing that the chances of me totally forgetting to do it upon my return were excellent.

So you can imagine my surprise when, almost two weeks after my return, now well into November, the DMV RETURNED my registration renewal, along with my uncashed check. In panic, I immediately assumed that some how the check had bounced. I had never bounced a check in my life. But upon closer inspection, I see that my renewal was rejected because I had failed to see that my car required inspection this year. Oops.

I check the date the registration was to expire, and predictably, it was the next day. Oops.

Now, if I had found myself in this predicament in NJ, this would be a major major problem. I mean, how in the world would I ever be able to get my car inspected and get a new registration in one afternoon? The Jersey girl in me was still quite panicked, but decided to try anyways.

So it is Friday afternoon, 3pm, when I leave to find the inspection station at the other end of town. It takes me about 30 mins to locate this station that had my GPS system totally confused (not long after it thought it was in Guam). I get inspected and passed in less than 15 mins. No wait. I realize that I amazingly, still have a chance of getting to the DMV (in the direction from whence I came, only going even farther) to get my registration renewed before they close. Whoo.

I not only got my registration renewed before they closed, but I was able to meet friends for happy hour at 5pm all the way back downtown. Even found a free spot on the street. Whoo. So, to recap, in 2 hours, I got my car inspected and reregistrated in two totally different locations, with nearly 1 hour and 15 mins of driving mixed in. Double whoo.

You may be wondering how is it that the DMV in Seattle is so much more efficient than in NJ - sure, there are fewer people, but also, the DMVs are privately run. I really think NJ should give that a whirl.

My favorite sports bar just happens to be within a 5 minute walk of my apartment. This is where I have to go to watch Giants games when they are in direct competition with the Seahawks game.

The last time I went to watch the Gmen, I discovered another reason why I love this bar. I can't believe it took me over a year to discover this gem. At the risk of offending some of my NYC readers, I just have to share this picture because I find it that entertaining:

I know that everyone, including myself, is totally "electioned out," but I really feel like I need to share the story of my first time voting in Washington, because, well... I found it funny. So this post isn't really about the election, but rather about Larissa voting.

A lot of people I know mailed in their ballots. Personally, I find that very unsatisfying. I have very fond memories as a child being brought into the voting booth with my mother and getting to pull the big lever after she was done. I just loved the sound that made. I honestly couldn't wait to see how the polls operated in Washington.

I don't remember getting a "voter's guide" in NJ, but we get one here. It was easily half an inch thick. I thought for sure it was that thick because half of it was in Spanish, but no. I was going to be asked to vote on so many things and people that it took half an inch's worth of (recycled) paper to explain it to me. Good thing they allow you to bring that into the polls with you.

I also brought a friend with me who lives in the same polling area, expecting massive wait times. I was shocked to find that there was practically no wait at all, which was particularly surprising considering this polling station was used by 8 precincts. Each precinct had its own "checker inner." My precinct was 1711, my friend's was 1714. I immediately got confused and had my first voting blond moment. I walked up to the woman who was checking in 1711 and asked her where 1714 was. I got back to the very small group of people waiting their turn, took another look at my registration cared and realized my blond moment. So I nonchalantly walked back to the checkin for 1711 and understandably, the woman looked confused. I tried to cover up my mistake by saying that two seconds earlier I had been inquiring for a friend.

I'm pretty sure she didn't buy it because as we sat down to start the checking in process, she started talking to me veeeeerrrry slooooowly.

ME: This is my first time voting in Washington, I'm very excited.

Checker: Well, we have two ways of voting, you can fill in ballots by hand or, if it is easier for you, you can use the machine.

I looked over at the machine and there is a blind man standing there. Marginally insulted that blondness maybe considered enough of a handicap that I'd be eligible to use the machine, I opted for the manual method. The checker pulled out a very long paper and handed it to me.

Checker: Have you ever taken a standardized test?

ME: (trying to be funny) Yes, but I never did very well on them.

Checker: (clearly missing my humor and probably still wondering about my intelligence level) Well, you fill out your answers here the same way, by filling in the bubbles, but the difference is in this case, only YOU can decide if you have the right answer.

Deep... really deep.

I really enjoyed sharing my South East Asia trip with you!  And now back to our regularly scheduled program of Pacific Northwest-centric posts.

The day after Halloween, I went to an event that marked the beginning of the Oyster season.   This restaurant likes to call it the "Oyster New Year."  It was quite the bash.

I really had no idea what to expect except that there would be a LOT of oysters.  I certainly didn't expect my oyster eating partner for the evening to show up in his Halloween costume.  Needless to say, he was the ONLY person in costume and was as a result, very popular.  I mean, look at his pants, ladies.

But I digress.  The event took place under a huge tent, roughly half the size of a football field.  The raw oyster bar, the main event, snaked throughout the center of the tent, so I'm gonna guess it was almost 100 yards long.  Your ticket included UNLIMITED raw oysters, wine tastings, beer tastings, chowder, cooked seafood and dessert.  It was overwhelming to say the least.  I think I topped out at about 15 oysters, including the one I caught at the bottom of the famous "oyster luge."  Are there photos of me doing this?  Yes, one.  A polaroid.  Thank goodness not shareable here.  But here is a picture of the luge.

 

My highlight in Vietnam, by far, was Halong Bay. It is very difficult to describe what this place looks like- you just have to review the pictures - but suffice it to say that it is just gorgeous, magical and romantic. The only way to see it is by boat. We stayed on a junk overnight - and the minute you get on the boat and get a sense for what you are about to experience, you realize that one night is not even close to being enough. If I ever go back to Vietnam, I'd stay on a junk for at least two nights and three full days.





One of the most fun things to do in Halong Bay is to swim in it. Right off the boat. You just jump in and climb out using a really old metal ladder. The most entertaining part of this activity though is, the floating vendors. See, in order to swim, the boat has to stop obviously. Well, the second you are anchored, you are a sitting duck. Almost immediately, women in rowboats swarm the junk trying to sell you everything from Pringles to vodka. Have you ever bargain shopped in the water? How about haggling while treading water? No? Well these women know how to corner you - once they realize you are interested in their goods, they'll use their boat and oars to block off the ladder out of the water - your only method of escape.




There was also the option of going kayaking at sunset. True to form, I opted out of this activity to take pictures of the sunset from a dry, safe, place. In the end, it was worth it not only from a photo stand point, but because I was able to help guide the kayakers back to our junk using my camera flash.



Sunrise was pretty spectacular as well. I haven't woken up many mornings on a boat, let alone in such a gorgeous place, but I would imagine that this is pretty much as good as it gets: